Herman Cain 2012: 'I Left The Democrat Plantation A Long Time Ago'

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain said Monday night on Fox News' "The Sean Hannity Show" that he "left the Democratic plantation," echoing language used by African-American Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) this summer.

Hannity asked the former Godfather's Pizza CEO about Harry Belafonte calling him a "totally false bad apple."

"As far as Harry Belafonte's comment, look, I left the Democrat plantation a long time ago. And all that they try to do when someone like me -- and I'm not the only black person out there that shares these conservative views -- the only tactic that they have to try and intimidate me and shut me up is to call me names, and this sort of thing. It just simply won't work," he said.

West described himself as a "modern-day Harriet Tubman" last August on Fox News.

"You have this 21st-century plantation that has been out there. Where the Democrat party has forever taken the black vote for granted and you have established certain black leaders who are nothing more than the overseers of that plantation. And now the people on that plantation are upset because they've been disregarded, disrespected and their concerns are not cared about," he said.

He later said said Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) were "overseers of this 21st-century plantation" and social welfare programs were "liberal economic enslavement." Waters said the comments were "a little bit outrageous" and "a little bit ridiculous."

Jesse Jackson said Cain's comments were "insulting," in an interview with Politico. "Those are very strong words. ... It’s both demeaning and insulting."

Cain has surged in the polls recently, and a Gallup poll released Monday showed him trailing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney by two points, 20-18, with Texas Gov. Rick Perry at 15 percent.

Cain said to Hannity, "Ever since that Florida straw poll, there's been this big bullseye on my back. It's coming from Harry Belafonte, it's coming from Professor [Cornel] West. It's coming from everybody who do not like the fact that I, as an American black conservative, am in a position to be able to speak my mind and tell the truth and wake people up."

"They don't want to wake people up, especially black people," he said.

Cain has made a number of racially charged comments recently. Just Tuesday he said that President Barack Obama has "never been a part of the black experience in America." He said recently that some in the black community "have been brainwashed into not being open-minded, not even considering a conservative point of view."

He also said Rick Perry was "insensitive" for once having a family hunting camp once had the word "Niggerhead" painted on a large rock at its entrance. He walked back his comments after being accused of playing the "race card" by saying the word was insensitive, not Perry.

Cain insisted in the Hannity interview that other African-Americans were upset with him because they did not want African-Americans to "think for themselves." "This is why they are so upset with Herman Cain who is now moving into the top tier for the Republican presidential nomination," he said.

Comments

[reesemd]

03:41 PM on 10/16/2011

I think he's right about striving hard to get what you want out of life but I can't agree with him when he says racism isn't a factor anymore and that people shouldn't use it as an excuse. Its as if he's saying that racism no longert exist and if one sites racism as a factor in their struggles in life then they are lazy and making up excuses. He would endear me more if he took more of an anti-racism stance and recognized racism as a hurdle even for today as opposed to chastising those who might sincerely be held back by discrimination. To totally dismiss racism as a factor in today's struggle for the sake of targeting the Obama administration's shortcomings seems to imply that he's disconnected when it comes to seeing racism. Racism was worse in the past than it is now but it is not gone.

[Tj Schwinn]

12:35 AM on 10/16/2011

Herman Cain will be the next POTUS!!! Make all the terrible comments you want about him. He's still the gentleman. This is not his first rodeo.....Hope you Dem's out there will respect him and give him the respect he have given you..... otherwise I may have to call you racists!!!

[Edidiong Adiakpan]

01:07 AM on 10/15/2011

Herman Cain is a joke.

[almchrl13]

02:14 AM on 10/13/2011

Good Riddance.
You were probably just a SNITCH anyway.

[SantaMonican]

04:28 PM on 10/12/2011

The GOP can't believe their good fortune!
They finally found the perfect voice for their racist statements.

[krenzny]

05:25 PM on 10/13/2011

The GOP has always liked to have their own black person speak out against and slam black people. This is not new. How much you wanna bet he adds some Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson comments to his list of 'Anti Negro' statements?

[Stephen Stafford]

04:15 PM on 10/12/2011

Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays knew each Morehouse student by name, and carried a burden to nurture each one's promise and potential as a sacred trust. In these times we have few to point to who stand anywhere near as tall in any ethnic group. Think of him like a Mandela in a unique college setting. He was the epitome of dignity and intellect, character and scholarship, a veritable human poem of love in action.

Every student could not escape being inculcated with his responsibility to contribute to the uplifting of humanity regardless of realm of endeavor or field of academic pursuit. A kind of mandatory character building assembly was held several times every week, where top world figures stopped by and poured themselves out into those students lives.

No one ever would have imagined such beautiful and formative experiences could result in the insipid wretchedness of Herman Cain, especially in his views towards his own people. There is no excuse. All the rest of us can do is re-double our efforts in doing what we know is right.

On behalf of those of us who have been entrusted and equipped to help all of us do better, I extend my apologies for whatever has gone wrong with this man. I am keenly aware that as long as there is life there is hope, so those doors remain widely open for him and us all.

He has gifted us with lemons. Let's make some lemonade.

[ThinkAboutItAgain]

06:06 PM on 10/12/2011

"No one ever would have imagined such beautiful and formative experience­s could result in the insipid wretchedne­ss:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QZlp3eGMNI

[Gestas]

03:44 PM on 10/12/2011

Herman has a future in the Entertainment Business We knew that sooner or later someone would come along and take Glenn Becks place.

[Mausinn]

04:56 PM on 10/12/2011

Or maybe Reverend Ike's place.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/30/nyregion/30ike.html

[almchrl13]

02:15 AM on 10/13/2011

He and Rush are reviving the old ME AND MY SHADOW routine.

[Stephen Stafford]

03:35 PM on 10/12/2011

Deeeeep breaths, people, deep breaths.

These daily Cainisms will last but a little while longer. Initially, I tried to not comment, but they started coming more often and then demanded attention.

The more challenging part is that they have served as an opening for some to say things that have been on their minds, but did not have an opening to say whatever. Seems less like the proverbial "opportunity for dialogue" and more like a chance to say "this is what I think of you all".

It's all good. It is going to have to be. He is going to be himself, as must we all. In the meantime, pencil a few moments in your day for the potentially ugly.

Now I need to grab that breath as I ponder what today's plantation references have conjured up.

[goodmarina]

03:33 PM on 10/12/2011

And this man accuses of President Obama not really being part of the African American experience?

I suppose, it is tough to constantly reveal a level of self-loathing that shows just how detached this man is from a reality he simply cannot face ... about multiple aspects of his identity.   

But - does Herman Cain have to insult a majority of minorities because he does not like who he is?

[WowJones]

03:32 PM on 10/12/2011

UncIe Cornbread is becoming a laugh a min candidate.

[airforcevet43]

03:21 PM on 10/12/2011

The Price to pay for a "Sell-Out" (true meaning) is high!

To be able to momentarily dine indoors with the privileged pedigrees (a choice place indeed) at the mere cost of ignoring or belittling your given pedigree is too high for many; but just enough for some (Sell-Out)!

The Sell-out opposes those who would march, protest and sit in for recognitio­n of what they have sown in life; meaning worked or willing to work for in their lifetime and thinks they should be given to self-lo.athing. This is pitiful advice that leads one to feel contempt for the virtue of another and expresses it in ways that attempt to tear down virtues in hopes of sharing the lo.athing within the Sell-out for the purposes of building up one's self, if only for a moment of glory!

The virtuous folks who seek recognition, they should take pride in what character they have sewn into their pedigree b/c it is a far better menu of accomplish­ment than to ignore your given pedigree for momentary glory! It is also an accomplishment that will last.

[EduCulture]

03:20 PM on 10/12/2011

"As far as Harry Belafonte's comment, look, I left the Democrat plantation a long time ago. And all that they try to do when someone like me -- and I'm not the only black person out there that shares these conservative views -- the only tactic that they have to try and intimidate me and shut me up is to call me names, and this sort of thing. It just simply won't work,"

No you are no the only one out there. You are in good company with "tax cheat Clarence"
and others like him. Nobody has to call you names.You have already named yourself - sam boy!

[dmsdzinr]

02:47 PM on 10/12/2011

AND then he JOINED the LOONEY Plantation instead.

[stopstupid]

02:37 PM on 10/12/2011

here's an idea..... why don't you argue a better plan for creating jobs than he has and quit worrying about what he did to rise above the ghetto.

[bembel67]

03:54 PM on 10/12/2011

he doesn't even have a plan to create job's. where is godfather's pizza now ?

[stopstupid]

04:38 PM on 10/12/2011

Righ cause cutting the corporate income tax won't help free up capital to hire. As usual I must remind you that the government does not "create" jobs. Who pays for all the "road work"?

[scottymac11]

02:10 PM on 10/12/2011

He refers to the 'Democratic plantation'. I suppose he thinks of them that way because they required him to work for people's benefit other than his own once and a while.